Quinoa, Edamame and Pumpkin Seed Salad

Twenty minutes, keeps three days, and holds together in a lunchbox without going soggy. Dress the quinoa while it is still warm — that is when it takes in the flavour.

Lunch

Serves 2

Ingredients

120g quinoa, rinsed
160g shelled edamame, frozen is fine
40g pumpkin seeds
Half a cucumber, diced
3 spring onions, sliced
A large handful of parsley, and mint if you have it, chopped
For the dressing: 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, the juice of 1 lemon, 1 tsp Dijon mustard, salt and pepper

Method

Rinse the quinoa well in a sieve. Its natural coating, saponin, is bitter and soapy; most packs are pre-rinsed, but thirty seconds under the tap removes what is left.
Simmer the quinoa in twice its volume of salted water for 12 minutes, adding the edamame for the last three. Drain, return to the pan, cover and leave for five minutes to steam dry.
Meanwhile toast the pumpkin seeds in a dry pan until they pop, and whisk the dressing together.
Pour half the dressing over the quinoa while it is still warm. Warm grains absorb dressing; cold ones just get coated in it. Leave it to cool.
Fold through the cucumber, spring onions, herbs and the rest of the dressing.
Scatter over the seeds just before eating, so they stay crisp.

Why it works

Quinoa is one of the few plant foods that is a complete protein on its own, which is the reason it earns its place over rice or pasta in a lunch like this.

Quinoa contains all nine essential amino acids, and it brings fibre, magnesium and iron with them. With the edamame and pumpkin seeds, the bowl reaches about 23g of plant protein — enough to hold appetite through the afternoon, which a pasta salad of the same size does not.

The combination is also why the blood-sugar response is gentle. Protein, fat and fibre arriving together slow how quickly the starch in the quinoa is absorbed, and that steadier curve matters beyond energy: repeated large insulin responses are closely linked to insulin resistance, which tracks with lower testosterone in men and with more difficult symptoms through perimenopause.

Pumpkin seeds are here for zinc and magnesium. Zinc holds an authorised claim for the maintenance of normal testosterone levels in the blood, and on a plant-based diet it is the mineral most likely to run short, because the phytates in grains and pulses reduce its absorption. Toasting the seeds improves the flavour; it does not meaningfully change the minerals.

Edamame are young soybeans, so they carry isoflavones — the plant compounds covered in more detail under phytoestrogens. What soy can realistically do for low oestrogen: how to increase oestrogen naturally.

It keeps three days in the fridge. Store the seeds separately.

More on eating for steady insulin: menopause and diabetes risk.

beetroot-walnut-hummus

Beetroot and Walnut Hummus

Snack

beetroot, chickpeas, walnuts, tahini, lemon, garlic, cumin, olive oil, carrots, cucumber, red pepper

Bright pink beetroot hummus topped with walnuts and olive oil, with vegetable sticks

turkish-eggs-garlic-yogurt

Turkish Eggs with Garlic Yogurt and Chilli Butter

Breakfast

eggs, greek yogurt, garlic, butter, chilli flakes, dill, parsley, sourdough, olive oil

Two poached eggs on garlic yogurt, drizzled with red chilli butter and dill

smoky-roasted-chickpeas

Smoky Roasted Chickpeas

Snack

chickpeas, olive oil, smoked paprika, cumin

Bowl of crispy roasted chickpeas with smoked paprika

chicken-ginger-congee

Chicken and Ginger Congee

Dinner

chicken, brown rice, ginger, garlic, spring onions, stock, sesame oil, tamari

Bowl of chicken congee with ginger and spring onions

red-lentil-dal-spinach

Red Lentil Dal with Spinach and Ginger

Dinner

lentils, spinach, onion, garlic, ginger, tomatoes, turmeric, cumin, coconut milk, brown rice

Bowl of golden red lentil dal with spinach and rice

steak-rocket-parmesan-salad

Steak, Rocket and Parmesan Salad

Lunch

steak, rocket, parmesan, tomatoes, olive oil, lemon

Sliced steak on rocket with parmesan shavings and tomatoes

quinoa-edamame-pumpkin-salad

Quinoa, Edamame and Pumpkin Seed Salad

Lunch

quinoa, edamame, pumpkin seeds, cucumber, lemon, olive oil, spring onions, parsley

Quinoa salad with green edamame and toasted pumpkin seeds

tofu-scramble-turmeric-spinach

Tofu Scramble with Turmeric, Spinach and Tomatoes

Breakfast

tofu, spinach, tomatoes, turmeric, onion, garlic, olive oil, sourdough, nutritional yeast

Yellow turmeric tofu scramble with spinach and tomatoes in a pan

date-cacao-protein-balls

Date and Cacao Protein Balls

Snack

dates, peanut butter, almond butter, protein powder, cacao, hemp seeds, chia seeds, cinnamon

Date and cacao protein balls on a board, some cut in half

mussels-tomato-garlic-broth

Mussels in Tomato and Garlic Broth

Dinner

mussels, tomatoes, garlic, onion, parsley, chilli flakes, sourdough, olive oil, lemon

Open mussels in a red tomato broth with sourdough

cottage-cheese-pomegranate-walnuts

Cottage Cheese with Pomegranate, Walnuts and Honey

Snack

cottage cheese, pomegranate, walnuts, honey, cinnamon, greek yogurt

Bowl of cottage cheese topped with pomegranate seeds and walnuts

chicken-butter-bean-kale-pot

Chicken, Butter Bean and Kale One-Pot

Dinner

chicken, white beans, kale, onion, garlic, lemon, olive oil, stock, parsley, tomatoes

One-pot chicken with butter beans and dark green kale

mackerel-egg-watercress-toast

Smoked Mackerel, Poached Egg and Watercress on Sourdough

Breakfast

mackerel, eggs, watercress, sourdough, lemon, olive oil, tomatoes

Smoked mackerel and poached egg on sourdough with watercress

turmeric-tempeh-cauliflower-bowl

Turmeric Tempeh and Cauliflower Bowl with Tahini

Lunch

tempeh, cauliflower, tahini, chickpeas, turmeric, lemon, olive oil, spinach, cumin, garlic

Bowl of roast cauliflower and tempeh with tahini dressing

miso-tofu-edamame-noodle-soup

Miso, Tofu and Edamame Soup with Buckwheat Noodles

Lunch

miso, tofu, edamame, buckwheat, spring onions, garlic, ginger, seaweed, sesame oil, spinach

Bowl of miso noodle soup with tofu cubes and green edamame

kiwi-kefir-night-bowl

Kiwi and Kefir Night Bowl with Toasted Pumpkin Seeds

Snack

kiwi, kefir, pumpkin seeds, honey, cinnamon, greek yogurt, walnuts

Bowl of kefir with sliced kiwi and toasted pumpkin seeds

turkey-sweet-potato-cherry

Turkey, Sweet Potato and Tart Cherry Traybake

Dinner

turkey, sweet potato, cherries, olive oil, garlic, onion, rosemary, spinach

Turkey breast traybake with sweet potato and dark cherries

sardine-white-bean-smash

Sardine and White Bean Smash on Sourdough

Dinner

sardines, white beans, garlic, lemon, olive oil, sourdough, parsley, tomatoes, onion, chilli flakes

Sardine and white bean smash on toasted sourdough with lemon

garlic-prawn-spinach-stirfry

Garlic Prawn and Spinach Stir-Fry

Dinner

prawns, spinach, garlic, brown rice, lemon, olive oil, chilli flakes, spring onions

Garlic prawns with spinach in a pan with lemon

chickpea-egg-avocado-bowl

Chickpea, Egg and Avocado Lunch Bowl

Lunch

chickpeas, eggs, avocado, tomatoes, rocket, lemon, olive oil, pumpkin seeds, onion, cumin

Chickpea bowl with halved boiled eggs, avocado and rocket

spinach-feta-pumpkin-omelette

Spinach, Feta and Pumpkin Seed Omelette

Breakfast

eggs, spinach, feta, pumpkin seeds, olive oil, tomatoes

Folded spinach and feta omelette with pumpkin seeds on a plate

pumpkin-seed-oat-bites

Pumpkin Seed and Oat Bites

Snack

oats, pumpkin seeds, almond butter, dates, honey, flaxseed, dark chocolate, cinnamon

No-bake oat and pumpkin seed bites on a wooden board

kimchi-fried-rice-eggs

Kimchi Fried Rice with Eggs

Lunch

brown rice, kimchi, eggs, spinach, garlic, spring onions, sesame oil, olive oil, sesame seeds, tamari, gochujang, rice vinegar

Kimchi fried rice topped with a fried egg, sesame seeds and spring onion

kefir-berry-brazil-smoothie

Kefir Smoothie with Berries and Brazil Nuts

Breakfast

kefir, greek yogurt, blueberries, brazil nuts, flaxseed, chia seeds, cinnamon, lemon, banana

Kefir and berry smoothie in a glass with Brazil nuts and flaxseed

beef-black-bean-chilli

Beef and Black Bean Chilli

Dinner

beef mince, black beans, tomatoes, onion, red pepper, garlic, brown rice, greek yogurt, dark chocolate, olive oil, cumin, smoked paprika, oregano, chilli flakes, tomato puree, stock, coriander